1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally toward storage systems for handling data storage cartridges. More specifically, the present invention is directed to storage cells for individual data storage units.
2. Background of the Invention
Robotic media storage libraries are devices for providing automated access to a large collection of data stored on multiple physical storage media, such as magnetic tape cartridges or compact discs. Robotic media storage libraries generally contain a plurality of storage locations for physical media, one or more media drives for reading or writing physical media and a manipulator or xe2x80x9cpickerxe2x80x9d for moving physical media from a storage location to a drive and back. Robotic media storage libraries may have special storage locations designated for certain purposes, such as serving as a temporary storage location while two pieces of media are being swapped or for adding or removing physical media from the library.
Library storage density is limited to the actual volume of the device used to store the physical data cartridges or disks. In some cases this means limited floor space or area, or limited vertical shelf or wall space, depending on the particular configuration of the storage library.
In the typical library scheme, storage capacity is increased by increasing the size of the library itself. This requires increased floor space or increased wall space, depending on the type of library used. The area accessible to a retrieval device also limits the storage capacity of a library, because a retrieval device must have a path to reach each individual data storage element. These goals of decreased overall volume and increased accessible area conflict in storage library design, making storage density a key factor in the library marketplace.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method and apparatus for storing media in a storage library.
The present application provides a deep storage cell capable of holding multiple individual data storage elements (cartridges, for example). In a preferred embodiment, the storage cell has a spring, which provides force to eject data storage elements. This spring preferably has a toggle block, which catches on one or more catch lips, holding the spring in place. For example, when one cartridge is inserted into the cell, the spring is compressed to catch on a first catch lip. When a second cartridge is inserted, the first cartridge is pushed further back within the storage cell, further compressing the spring so that the toggle block catches on a second catch lip, providing space for both cartridges. Multiple data cartridges can be thus stored in a single storage cell.